Central Baptist Church Shoe Drive

In the early 1990s, Rick Clark, pastor of Central Baptist Church in Anderson County, KY, learned first-hand of the urgent need for decent shoes in some parts of the world. So when the convention with which his church is affiliated urged member churches to become involved with Soles4Souls, Clark stepped forward and got involved.

"I've never forgotten our interpreter when we were on a mission in Africa," Clark said, as he displayed a pair of sandals made from an old car tire. "He was wearing these. I said, 'if I buy you a new pair, can I have these?'"

The Central Baptist Church has collected 392 pair of shoes to date. Their goal is to collect 1,000 pair by the end of April.

"We need good, clean, used or new shoes, we will take all types and sizes" Clark said. "The contributions will be used in the U.S. and around the world."

Drop the shoes off 24 hours a day, seven days a week at Central Baptist Church, on the U.S. 127 Bypass near the Franklin/Anderson County line, or call (502) 829-5013 or (502) 319-0903 to have someone pick them up.

-Jay Cason
The Anderson News

Maggie Anne Shoe Drive

The Maggie Anne Shoppe in Hillsdale, MI is hosting a shoe drive to benefit Soles4Souls. The drive began March 26th at the boutique at 50 N. Howell St., Hillsdale, and will end April 12.

During the shoe drive, Maggie Anne’s will be offering a 15 percent discount for shoes to all customers who bring in new or gently worn pairs of shoes toward the effort.

“I have been looking for a great cause to get involved in and when this one came across my desk, I knew it was one Maggie Anne’s would be proud to participate in,” said Patti Bailey, store co–owner.

Bailey said people don’t have to take advantage of the store discount to participate.

“They can just donate shoes they don’t need, whether it’s men’s, women’s or children’s shoes,” she said.

The Nashville–based Soles4Souls facilitates the donations of both new and used shoes, which are used to aid the hurting worldwide, said Wayne Elsey, founder of Soles4Souls.

“We are thrilled that Maggie Anne’s is acting on our behalf to spread joy to people, both here in the United States and around the world,” Elsey said in a press release. “It is only because of proactive retail stores, such as Maggie Anne’s that we are able to accomplish our goal of getting shoes on the feet of people who need them most.”

Employee Norma Moore said she looks forward to participating in the shoe drive as a way to do some spring cleaning while benefiting others.

“It’s real important to see these kinds of drives,” Moore said. “We’re so lucky to have what we have. I know my closet is full of shoes I no longer need. It’s good knowing that shoes I don’t use can be used for someone else who needs them.”

For more information on how to get involved with the shoe drive and take advantage of the discount toward a new pair of shoes, contact Bailey at (517) 439–1334.

Tennessee Titan helps out Soles4Souls

NFL Safety Chris Hope stopped by the Nashville Rescue Mission in between a busy day of team workouts on Wednesday to participate in the Soles4Souls Shoe Donation, an event benefiting local persons in need by providing them with new pairs of shoes. A strong supporter of the organization, Hope pledged $100 for every tackle he made in 2007 to Souls4Souls, accumulating in a $6,000 donation. Hope will again pledge $100 for every tackle he makes in 2008.

Held in the usual game lounge for visitors of the Mission, Soles4Souls provided 1,000 pairs of new shoes to residents of the Nashville community. The event marked the third shoe distribution within the past 10 months in the charity’s ongoing commitment to those in need of one of our most overlooked necessities — shoes. Hope helped recipients try on shoes, find the right style and locate the right sizes, all the while providing words of encouragement.

Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls Wayne Elsey commented on how much it meant to the participants to have Hope lending his time to the event.

“Having Chris involved lets them (today's recipients) know that they are important to him. To give them a pair of shoes, something that we take for granted everyday, will help them out in the future and help put a smile on their face,” said Elsey.

Inspired by the large turnout, Hope talked about what it meant to him personally to be involved with the shoe drive and why Soles4Souls is one of his favorite organizations.

“Working with Soles4Souls gives me the chance to give my time, meet people in need, and touch them in a different way. When you give someone a pair of shoes, you can see their faces light up, almost like they're a kid again,” said Hope.

“I consider it a real blessing to be involved in something like this, and I’m thankful I was able to participate.”

The Titans hosted a Shoe Drive to benefit Soles4Souls this past season versus the Houston Texans on Sunday, Dec. 2 at LP Field. Titans fans helped donate approximately 7,400 shoes during the drive to benefit events and non-profit organizations such as the Nashville Rescue Mission.

Shoe Carnival Partners with Soles4Souls

Most of us have lots of shoes we no longer wear. According to one estimate, more than one billion pair of shoes lay idle in American closets. Yet there are millions of people both here in the United States and around the world in desperate need of footwear.

That’s why Shoe Carnival is teaming up with Soles4Souls, to provide a basic, yet indispensable gift that most of us take for granted: the gift of shoes.

"The partnership with Soles4Souls is a great fit for Shoe Carnival. Their mission to provide shoes for those in need is a message that resonates with our customers," said Todd Beurman, Senior Vice President of Marketing. "We are proud to partner with Soles4Souls to help provide families all over the world with much-needed footwear," he said.

At Shoe Carnival you’ll find an open format, catchy music, and friendly associates set the stage for a wonderful shopping experience. Throw an unbelievable product assortment, great brand names and value pricing in the mix and you get a one-stop footwear destination that satisfies the needs of the entire family.

Shoe Carnival is partnering with Soles4Souls from March 30th to April 5th. Simply bring in a pair of gently worn shoes to any participating Shoe Carnival store and receive a $5 coupon good towards any thing in the store. All the footwear collected during this special charitable event will go to Soles4Souls.

“We are thrilled that Shoe Carnival has chosen to partner with Soles4Souls,” said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. “The shoes donated by their customers will make a huge impact on the lives of thousands of people in desperate need.”

About Shoe Carnival
Shoe Carnival is a chain of 293 footwear stores located in the Midwest, South and Southeast. Headquartered in Evansville, Ind., Shoes Carnival trades on the NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol SCVL.

Shoes Distributed to Families in Romania

Soles4Souls partnered with Assist International to donate over 2,000 pairs of shoes to poor families in Romania.

Assist International, a non-profit based in Santa Cruz, CA has been involved with many relief efforts in Romania since 1990. One of the projects that AI has been involved with is the building of the Caminul Felix villages, a place where orphaned or abandoned children join a loving family and find community. All of the children and adults in the Caminul Felix villages were delighted to receive the new shoes.

"They were so grateful for the gift of such quality shoes," stated Bob Pagett, the President of Assist International. "You can’t imagine the blessing that these shoes were and are to the children and poor adults of Romania."

Senator Radu Tirle, one of 35 Parliament members in Romania, helped distribute some of the other shoes to children from poor families in two of the poorest villages in Bihor County.

“I just cannot explain the sweet spirit of these meetings, the joy of the people receiving these shoes,” said Senator Tirle. "The people have told me of their struggles of sending their children to school due to a lack of financial resources. They were so grateful to receive shoes for their children."

The Shoes also went to at least 55 churches who distributed them to the poor and needy. Some shoes went to a Mental Hospital for Children, some to Romanian shelters and others to the city jail in Oradea. Bob Pagett said that no shoes were left over and every pair donated was used for someone in need.

"Each distribution has a story. If over 10,000 pairs of shoes were donated, there are 10,000 stories of appreciation," he said.

Soles in Motion Wants You!

The Soles4Souls Race Team, Soles In Motion has officially launched in the Nashville Area and will launch nationwide shortly.

There will be an informational meeting at the Soles4Souls Corporate Offices on Friday, April 11th at 6:00PM for anyone interested in running for an awesome cause. The Soles In Motion Race Team is currently recruiting Team Members and Running Coaches to run the Inaugural San Antonio Rock and Roll Marathon and 1/2 Marathon on November 16, 2008. Training for this event will begin the 1st week in May.

Whether you are a couch potato or a seasoned Marathoner, we have a training program and experienced Running Coaches on board that will help you prepare to run or walk a Marathon or 1/2 Marathon. As Soles4Souls is officially partnered with Elite Racing (Management company for all the Rock and Roll Series Marathons nationwide) there will be a variety of Elite Racing events that Team Members can take part in. The next race on the Soles In Motion Calendar after San Antonio is the P.F. Chang’s Arizona Rock and Roll Marathon in January 2009!

If you live outside of the Nashville, Tennessee area and want to establish a Soles In Motion Chapter in your area, we will have a turn-key program set up to get you "up and running!"

For more information or to reserve your place at the informational meeting, please contact the Soles In Motion Program Director, Kirk at Kirkk@Soles4Souls.org. Space IS LIMITED...so don’t wait until it’s TOO LATE!

Students Collect Shoes for 5K Race

The students at Groveland Elementary in Bucks County, PA did a tremendous job collecting over 600 pairs of shoes for Soles4Souls in March. Another 100 pairs of shoes were also collected from a few YMCA locations.

The students are collecting the shoes in anticipation of the Second Annual Groveland Great Grizzly 5K Race and 1-mile Fun Run/Walk on Saturday, April 5, 2008, at 9 a.m. The registration deadline for the race this Monday, March 24. To register, go to www.greatgrizzlyrun.com/.

Proceeds from the event will go towards the Groveland Elementary Wellness Committee and the Plumsteadville Volunteer Fire Company.

It is not too late to donate shoes and help those in need. You can donate new or gently used shoes of any kind or size at the school (1100 North Easton Road) throughout March or at the event on April 5. The shoes will be shipped to Soles4Souls in the first part of April for distribution.

Great job Groveland Elementary Students!

Soles4Souls Partners with Shoetube

Shoetube.tv has exploded onto the web scene with more force than a massive Manolo Blahnik sale. The new Web 2.0 channel focuses solely on shoes the latest trends, the hottest styles, and even the best ways to use footwear in a charitable cause.

By partnering with footwear charity Soles4Souls, Shoetube.tv is aiming to also raise participation, donations, and engagement with the shoe charity.

"We are so delighted to partner with the creative minds at Powderhouse Productions, the creators of Shoetube.tv," said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. "We are also extreme footwear lovers from sleek running shoes to rugged work boots and the coolest sandals on the beach. But we believe that giving away a pair of new shoes to someone in need is even more satisfying than buying the latest and greatest styles, and we want to thank Shoetube.tv for giving us a channel on their website to promote participation," he said.

According to Elsey, it's clear that Americans have a love affair with shoes.

The average American woman currently owns 19 pairs, and American men own nine," he said. "What is less known is that we tossed more than 300 million pairs of shoes into our own landfills last year, while the same number of children around the world have never owned a single pair," he said.

"Buying shoes is a guilty pleasure for some women," says Marcy McCreary, director of new media marketing & business development at Powderhouse Productions. "But if women can balance their shoe buying with some shoe giving, everyone benefits."

Shoetube.tv and Soles4Souls aim to change that statistic by connecting footwear lovers with an easy way to donate their own gently worn shoes. And what if the viewers at Shoetube.tv simply can't part with one of the many shoes in their own closets? Not a problem, says Elsey. For every single dollar donated to the charity online a pair of shoes can be sent around the world, destined for delivery to a child in need. So you don't have to really part with those Manolo Blahniks...until next season's arrivals, of course.

Shoe Display Discourages Teen Smoking

Glenbard West High School in Glen Ellyn, Illinois had 1,200 pairs of shoes scattered throughout the front lawn last Friday. Tobacco prevention staff from the DuPage County Health Department spread the shoes across the lawn as part of Project 1200, as a way to illustrate to students the number of people who die each day in the United States from tobacco and secondhand smoke.

The shoes were donated by parents throughout the school district and will be donated to Soles4Souls after the display is over.

Signs were also placed next to the shoes that read "each pair of shoes represents an American who has died due to tobacco-related illness" and "cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in America."

Students for Students - a substance-abuse prevention club on campus - partnered with the Health Department to sponsor the project. Gilda Ross, the club's adviser, said club members wanted to put focus on alcohol and other drugs this year.

Because most smokers begin using cigarettes as teenagers, Ross said raising awareness of the dangers of tobacco is urgent at Glenbard and other high schools.

Very few people begin using tobacco as adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Almost all first-time tobacco use has occurred by the time youth graduate from high school.

Marathon Participants Helping the Environment and Soles4Souls

Centered around St. Patrick's Day, the Virginia Beach-based Shamrock Marathon always has displayed a fair share of green.

This year, the 36th of the race, the event is going green in another way - by becoming environmentally friendly.

The Shamrock Marathon, which starts at 8 a.m. Sunday, has been certified as a Virginia Green event, the first event to receive that certification in the Commonwealth, according to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.

One of the measures taken has been to provide 50 recycling receptacles for people to dispose of cans, bottles, cardboard and other materials. The traditional disposable plastic goody bags have given way to cloth backpacks.

Runners are also encouraged to donate their shoes. Those with sneakers that haven't incurred too much wear and tear will have the opportunity to donate them to Soles4Souls. (Anyone who stops by the Sports and Fitness Expo at the Virginia Beach Convention Center today or Saturday can donate shoes as well). Soles4Souls has supplied shoes to victims of natural disasters, including Hurricane Katrina.

Race director Amy Frostick said she thinks the benefits are worthwhile.

"My husband (co-director Jerry) and I try to make an impact ourselves, as much as we can live green and look out for the environment," she said.

As many as 18,000 people are expected to participate in the Shamrock events, an increase of about 18 percent from 2007.

UCSB Men's Volleyball Team Hosts Drive

The UCSB (University California Santa Barbara) men's volleyball team do a lot more than just bump, set and spike. On February 20th, they collected almost 200 pairs of shoes during their first ever shoe drive. Last week, when they played the UCLA Bruins at Robertson Gymnasium in Santa Barbara, all 197 pairs of shoes and sneakers were donated to Soles4Souls.

Many thanks to those that contributed!